White firetrucks

Although I have been known to complain about the recent tendency of trucking companies to leave their trucks in factory white (thus surrendering their distinctive company identities) I am a fan of fire trucks painted white.
There are still a few spotted around the country - Quebec City being one- and many in the southern US  including Washington, DC.

Today I spotted retired rigs from two Nova Scotia departments that are also noted for their white painted apparatus.

Early in 2014 Truro, NS received their new number 4,  a Pierce Arrow XT 95 ft aerial platform and retired the old number 4. Built in 1987 by Pierre Thibault on an International CO1950 chassis, it carried a 1050 gpm pump and 30m aerial ladder.

Down the road the Parrsboro Department can't give up on their veteran Ford pumper tanker. It isn't being given house room in their 3 bay fire hall anymore, but it is parked outside and re-assigned the number 4. It carries no makers plate or ULC plate, but other sources say it is a 1978 Ford, with 400 gpm PTO pump and 1200 gal tank, built by LRB Fabricators of Port Williams, NS. It is service from April to November (when there is no danger of it freezing up.)

 Southern US cities have long been known for their white painted fire trucks.

Frisco, TX hadn't taken delivery of their new truck in April 2002, so it was on display in front of the Emergency-One factory in Ocala, FL. Labelled for Engine 604 it appears to be a quint.

Out back of the Emergency-One factory in April 1999, this Duplex chassis pumper from the City of Sunrise, FL was in for repairs and reconditioning.

The City of Seminole, FL had an all white fleet, many of which were built by Gator, a short-lived local company, such as this pumper assigned to Engine 32. (1999 photo)

 This Spartan was assigned to Squad 32. (1999 photo)

 Tower 29 for Seminole ran this veteran Sutphen.(1999 photo)

In 1993 Engine 29 was running this Gator with sun-tan bronze stripes.

All the Gators, the Duplex and the Sutphen appear to be fitted with Cincinnati cabs.

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Between a rock and a hard place

When it was time to move a big container hauling fork lift from one end of the Port of Halifax to the other, Logistec Stevedoring called in a tug and barge to move the big rig. Too wide and too high (and  not licensed) to travel on streets, the  giant forklift was loaded on the barge by a ramp at pier 30 and sailed gaily up to pier 9c. However there is no convenient ramp at pier 9c, so it was apparently the intention to drive the rig onto the pier at high tide, over a low curb.
All did not go well when the point of no return arrived - the rear (steering) wheels on land and the front (driving) wheels still on the barge. As the full weight of the rig bore down on one end of the barge, it went deeper in the water and the rig hung up. No amount of cajoling with smaller forklifts would get the big rig on shore.

Time to call in the big guns:

A pair of  twin steer Western Star /National Crane trucks from A.W.Leil, set up on either side and rigged slings to the lift tower.

 Ruggles towing supplied their No.1 Peterbilt with a pair of winch wires rigged to the forklift's rear axles.

And we had lift off.

The Taylor container handler (probably a model TXEC) overshadows a more typical singe pallet forklift.

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Small size expedition camper

After the big Mercedes from Germany I saw last week (and is still here today - see Update) this small Toyota Land Cruiser/pick-up camper was quite a contrast.

Built very much in the same style, and almost the same colour, it is a miniature version. While the big Merc had "ALEMANIA" (Germany) on the front, this one has "HOLLAND" painted on the light bar over the windshield. It is also carrying a Netherlands license plate on the front bumper.

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